Coil handling apparatus



1961 H. F. SCHRECKER ETAL 2,970,706

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 S'IaIiod A INVENTORS Howard I". SChrecKer g I BTyfwmas C. Sing/afar:

ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1961 H. F. SCHRIECKER E'l'AL 2,970,706

COIL HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26. 1956 S a m r m m m E C 2 m WWW Q u d s 70 V. v r a I t a Wm n H m he s 2e w ATTORNEY 1961 H. F. SCHRECKER ET AL 2,970,706

con. HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 9.

INVENTORS Howard E Schrec/(er ghyamas C. Singleton ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1961 H. F. SCHRECKER ETAL 2,970,706

con. HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1956 6 Sheets-SheefS ATTORNEY COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Howard F. Schrecker, Natrona Heights, and Thomas C. Singleton, New Kensington, Pa., assignors to Alummnm Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 26, 1956, Ser. No. 624,329"

14 Claims. (Cl. 214-89) This invention relates to material handling apparatus and has reference more particularly to carrier and feeder apparatus for spooled coils of strip material and their spools in a strip processing line.

In the drawings, the apparatus is shown as employed for the handling of full and empty spools of metal foil at the rewind side of a foil rolling mill, but it will be understood that it can be used at the unwind side of the mill and also that the apparatus can be employed with the unwind and/or rewind reels associated with other types of processing apparatus such as a shear, printer, etc.

It is customary in the production and processing of material, such as metal foil, to handle the material in coils and to provide protection against handling damage and for other purposes by using tubular spools or sleeves whose length exceeds the maximum width of material coiled thereon. Handling of the coils and spools, because of weight and bulk, is a time consuming and laborious task, since care must be taken not to cause damage thereto, and the task is aggravated by the increase in size and weight of the spools and coils which are employed in order to reduce the ratio of handling time to processing time. Heretofore, it has been customary to use a traveling carrier to transport the coils and spools to and from the reel and a carrier loading position remote from the reel. This has involved certain disadvantages, particularly the time consumed in effecting exchange of full and empty spools on the carrier before it can he traveled back to the reel to deliver an empty spool thereto. Considering that the mill or other processing unit stands idle during each period of coil and spool exchange for the reel and the production or processing equipment and its operation are expensive, the idle or non-productive time adds up to a considerable production loss every day and materially increases production costs.

One object of the invention is the provision of means for mechanically handling and transporting large and heavy composite Work pieces at a processing unit without manual effort and with the greatest possible safety and saving in time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved apparatus for handling strip material on spools which is operable to afford rapid and safe handling thereof and to materially shorten the idle periods of a rolling mill or other coiled strip processing unit due to periodic exchange of full and empty spools at the unwind and/or rewind reel thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a coil handling system employing two carriers for spooled coils and their spools and a common transfer car for the carriers in a T-shaped arrangement with respect to a reel, whereby the work of loading and unloading one of the carriers is eifected while a preceding strip is being processed, with the other carrier at the reel in readiness to receive the full or empty spool therefrom.

Still another object resides in the provision of a spooled 2,970,706 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 coil handling system disposed in a strip processing line and by which full and empty spools are handled and transferred quickly and wholly by a carrying action while they are in transit, thereby to minimize the possibility of damage to them.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear to the persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a coil handling apparatus embodying features of the present invention and installed at the delivery side of a rolling mill to serve the rewind reel thereof and showing a coil in readiness to be taken away from the mill.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken generally on the line II--II of Fig. 1 and showing coiling of a strip at the reel.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view looking in the direction of line IV-IV of Fig. 3 and showing limit switches associated with an elevator.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on a line V-V of Fig. l and showing the transfer car mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line VIVI of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing the layout of the apparatus and illustrating locations of limit switches associated with respective elements thereof.

Fig. 8 is a schematic across-the-line wiring diagram of electrical control for the apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a schematic illustration of a hydraulic system for the apparatus.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view to an enlarged scale, taken on the line XIXI of Fig. 10.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a portion of a strip processing unit, specifically a 4-high rolling mill of conventional construction. Its housings are indicated at 2 and 3 represents one of the shoe rails on which they are mounted. Numerals 4 and 5 represent the Work rolls and the back up rolls, respectively, of the mill, and 6 indicates bridling rolls at the exit side of the work rolls. Behind the mill, the strip material issuing therefrom is wound into a tight coil on a heavy tubular spool 7 at a reel station indicated generally at 8. A power driven rewind or coiler is provided at the station and it can be a double spindle type reel of known form having opposed cones 9 and 9a for clamping the spool between them in operating position.

Come 9 has the drive member 10 (Figs. 1 and 5) with which to make drive connection with the spool, and conventional means to drive the same can comprise telescopic connection at coupling 11, reduction gear 12 and drive motor 13. The cones may be carried on shafts, each rotatably mounted in a sleeve 14 slidably mounted non-rotatably in a bracket 15, and such brackets can conveniently be secured to the mill housing, as shown, or be carried by floor mounted pedestals, if desired. Axial transverse of the cones to open and closed positions may be effected by piston and cylinder motors 16 and 17, each operably connected to one of the sleeves 14. A screw stop 18 can be threaded on a piston rod extension 19 of motor 16, which stop is adapted to engage the adjacent end of the cylinder and limit inward or closing movement of cone 9. This affords a lateral adjustment for the cones to cause them to bring successive spools into desired position of lateral adjustment with respect to the mill rolls.

Extending rearwardly from the rewind is an apparatus for removing spooled coils from the reel and supplyabove floor level.

'ing empty spools thereto and it is characterized by hav- "ing a T-shaped layout or arrangement, as shown in Fig.

,T for transporting the coils and spools to and from the reel. The trackway, as shown, can suitably comprise an elongated roller conveyor supported on stands 23 in a pit 2.4, and having side members 25, transverse plate members 26 and a series of spaced track rollers 27, each being anti-friction bearing mounted on a through shaft 28 supported at its ends in the side members 25. These side members extend forwardly in flanking relation to the lift means under the reel and are supported on blocks 29 (Fig. 3) setting on the ,topof shoe rail 3. A pair of spaced apart bevel faced flanges or collars 30 (Fig. 6) is provided on each roller for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and a sprocket 31 is provided adjacent each end of the rollers. A power drive for the rollers preferably comprises a reversible hydraulic fluid motor 32 and reduction gear unit 33 secured to the underside 'of the frame members and having an output sprocket 34.

A drive chain 35 connects sprocket 34 with the end sprockets 31 of an adjacent pair of rollers 27 to drive that pair. Chains 36 connect the other end sprockets 31 of the driven pair of rollers to those on the adjoining rollers and this is repeated down the line of rollers until all of them have drive connection with the motor 32. The transverse plates 26 are cut away, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, to accommodate the drive chains and also to permit movement of the carriers past them. As best seen in Fig. 6, floor plates 37 cover the pit 24 and are arranged to provide lateral slots 38 for passage of the carriers therealong, only the upper portions of which are The floor plates may be removably secured to the frame members 25 and 26.

The two carriers are receivabfe in side-by-side relation .on a transfer car or dolly 39 disposed in a pit 40 at the head of the T and are moved thereby to lateral load positions or stations A and B located respectively at opposite sides of the mill center line. By thus providing two carriers and a separate load station for each of them, one carrier remains under the reel in readiness to receive a spooled coil therefrom and the other carrier remains at the load position for performance of the work of removing a spooled coil therefrom and reloading it with an empty spool during rolling or processing of the preceding strip of material. The transfer car is spaced any convenient distance from the mill to provide clear work area about the reel station. The use of a mandrel type rewind at the reel station is contemplated in which case, of course, an obvious relocation of the T arrangement for the handling apparatus Will be resorted to. Y

'Thecarriers 20 and 21 may take various forms and in the present instance are in the form of pallets having transverse coil and spool cradling top plates 41 of trough or V-form carried by vertical side pfates 42 which the floor slots 38 accommodate. The lower edges of plates 42 are integral with narrow elongated shoe plates or runners 43 slanted upwardly at their ends as indicated at 44, whereby the carriers are adapted to span a plurality of rollers for increased traction effort and are positively and smoothly traveled over the track rollers. The flanges 30 on the rollers 27 co-operate with the inner sides of the runners 43 to guide the carriers and keep them in a straight line path as they travel toward and away from the mill. In lieu of the fixed top plates 41, the carriers may be provided with cradling rollers to support the spools and coils thereon.

The lift means at the reel station, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, suitably comprises a subframe 45 formed of laterally spacedchannels supported on the mill shoe rail 3 and on a stand at 46 secured to the floor of pit 24. A pair of hydraulic lift cylinders 47 is disposed on the mill center line at the front and rear sides of the shoe rail 3 and are dependently secured at their upper ends to plates 48 secured to the subframe channels. Each cylinder contains a piston having an upwardly extending piston rod 49 to the upper end of which cross bars of a substantially rectangular lift frame 59 is secured. A set of track or conveyor rollers 51, similar to therollers 27, and connected to be driven from a reversible hydraulic motor 52 is provided in the lift frame 50 to cooperate with the rollers 27 in trackway 22 in moving the carriers. End stops 53 (Fig. 2) are engageable by the carriers and serve to position them with the axis of the work thereon horizontally aligned with a vertical plane through the axis of the cones. A limit switch LS-l mounted on a web plate between a pair of rollers 51 is adapted to be actuated by the carrier when positioned against the stops for control purposes hereinafter described. The vertical travel of the elevator by the fixed cylinders 47 is such that in top position a bare spool is axially aligned with the cones and in bottom position it disposes an empty carrier in position to clear the maximum diameter coil that the reel is designed to take, as shown by dot and dash line in Fig. 2, so as to eliminate the possibility of damage to the coil strip. As shown, his down position of the elevator disposes its conveyor :ollers 51 below the rollers 27 but, as a matter of choice, the elevation of the parts can be made such as to make the respective sets of conveyor rollers co-planar in the down position of the elevator.

The top of the transfer car 39 is substantially flush with the floor level and is formed with two spaced stalls 54 and 55 in which the carriers are separately receivable. The car has wheels 56 resting on track rails 57 along which it is traversed to alternate end positions to bring the carriers into the respective load stations A and B. Limit switches LS-2 and LS-S are disposed to be actuatcd alternately by the car in its end positions. A power means comprising a double acting hydraulic cylinder 53 which is trunnion mounted on a stand 59 contains a piston whose rod 6!).has pin and clevis connection at 61 to the car to effect traverse thereof through a fixed distance equal to the center-to-center spacing of the carriers in the respective stalls. In one end position, the car ho'ds LS-2 closed, aligns one carrier with the trackway 22 for movement to the rewind and back and disposes the other carrier .in its lateral load station. Movement of the car to the other end position causes concurrent shifting of the carriers so that, in consequence, the second carrier is aligned with the trackway 22, the first one is disposed at its lateral load position and LS-S is held closed. In Fig. 7, the fixed stroke movement of the car is indicatedby the double headed arrow C. This shifts, for example, carrier 20 from axis X to axis Y and shifts carrier 21 from axis Z to axis X. As a result, carrier 21 having been previously loaded with a bare spool 7, as shown, can deliver the spool to the reel without interposed delay. Numerals 62 and 63 indicate the sets of conveyor rollers and 64 and 65 the reversible hydraulic drive motors therefor that are provided in stalls S4 and 55, respectively, each forming a continuation of the trackway 22 in the alternate positions of the transfer car. The rollers and the drives are like those heretofore described. Limit switches LS-6 and LS-4 are associated with the conveyors 62 and 63, respectively, for actuation by the respective carriers 29 and 21.

A portion of each end of the pit 40 can be closed by a fixed floor cover 66 under which a platfo m extension 67 on each end of the car may move, the pit being kept covered in either position of the car. Plate covers arranged with passage slots for the carriers, similarly to the fioor plates 37, can be provided over each stall 5d and 55 and over the lift frame 50, as shown,

for protection to the under-the-floor mechanism and to the operating personnel.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a limit switch LS8 1s mounted in positon to be actuated by the elevator in its down position, while limit switches LS-3 and LS-7 are mounted on side frame member 25 in position to be actuated by trip plates 70 and '71, respectively, carried by bracket 72 on the lift frame. LS-3 is a type of switch which operates by movement of its trip arm in one direction only. As its trip plate 70 moves down, it merely passes LS-3, and moves to a position below the switch. Thereafter, it actuates the switch as it rises from below and reaches the switch. LS-7 is a plunger type, as shown, and its trip plate 71 is vertically elongated to keep the plunger normally depressed throughout elevator travel, except when notch 74 in the face of the plate is opposite the plunger. As the elevator rises from its bot tom position, both switches LS-3 and LS-7 close when conveyor 51 is level with trackway conveyor 22, and the switch closure causes automatic stopping of the elevator.

The apparatus is arbitrarily oriented in Fig. 7 conformably with compass points as indicated, for convenient reference in describing its operation. The function of the various limit switches is as follows. LS1 permits start of automatic operation, stops conveyor 51 and the other conveyors at north end of carrier travel and starts elevator up travel. LS-2 requires the transfer car to be in its east position to enable operation of conveyor 62. LS-3 stops upward movement of the elevator in level position with conveyor 22 and along with LS-7 controls operation of the line of conveyors in traveling the carriers in north and south directions. LS-4- and LS-6 select for operation conveyors 63 and 62, respectively, whichever one is in registered position, and stops the same and the other conveyors at south end of carrier travel and causes car shift to east and West positions, respectively. LS5 requires the car to be in west position to enable operation of conveyor 63. LS-Z and LS-5 also control the automatic cycling and disable the conveyor drive motors unless the transfer car is in position registering either conveyor 62 or 63 with conveyor 22. LS-8 stops the elevator in its bottom position. By means of the limit switch control, the apparatus is properly conditioned and sequentially actuated through a coil take-out and spool delivery cycle. This cycle comprises the following operations in sequence: raising the elevator to receive the coil located on the cones, opening the cones to release the coil, moving the elevator down and then up to a position level with the trackway, traversing carrier 26 with the coil thereon outwardly to the transfer car, shifting the car from east to west position, thereby aligning or registering preloaded carrier 21 with the feeder trackway, traversing carrier 21 with its empty spool forwardly to the elevator, raising the ele vator and carrier 21 to top position which aligns the empty spool with the cones, closing the cones to clamp the spool in operating position and lowering the elevator and empty carrier to a down position.

In Fig. 9, there is diagrammatically shown the hydraulic system for effecting remotely controlled operation of the various reciprocable and rotary hydraulic motors. Each of them is directionally controlled by a conventional 3-position, double solenoid operated, 4-way valve, each being identified by a numeral corresponding to that of the motor which it controls with the case letter (4 added. In its spring returned neutral position, each valve has its pressure port P blocked and its cylinder ports connected to tank T. Headed arrows show the direction of the fluid flow through the valves in their respective solenoid operated positions, and the two solenoids of each valve are identified by a reference numeral corresponding to the number of the valve with the letters R and L added thereto to represent the right and left hand solenoids. Operating fluid pressure can be supplied by a pump P, driven by an electrical motor M, and delivered through high pressure lines to the pressure ports P of the various valves. An adjustable restrictor or flow control valve may be connected ahead of port P of each valve, as shown, by adjustment of which the velocity of the rollers of the respective conveyors driven by motors 64, 65, 32' and 52 can be equalized and the movement in opposite directions of the pistons in cylinders 58, 16 and 17 can likewise be equalized. Referring to the fluid circuit for the transfer car cylinder 58, a counter-balance valve '75, with a check valve 76 by-passing the same, is connected in each line connecting the cylinder ports of valve 58a to the opposite ends of cylinder 58. Thereby, for example, upon energization of solenoid 58R, pressure fluid will flow freely to the rod end of cylinder 58 to move the car to its west position, while discharge of fluid from the opposite end of the cylinder will be blocked by the check valve 76 and hence be caused to flow through the counter-balance valve 75. However, when valve 58a returns to neutral position, fluid will be trapped at opposite sides of the piston 'in cylinder 58 under a pressure determined by the setting of the counter-balance valves 75, whereby the car is held in its shifted position.

The elevator is driven in both directions by its cylinders 47. .The top end of both cylinders are connected directly through line 77 to one cylinder port of valve 47a. The other cylinder port of the valve connects through line 78 to a pressure relief valve 79 and to the outlet of a counter-balance valve 80 and to a check valve 81 in parallel, the check valve allowing free flow through line 82 which connects with the inlet of valve 80 and with one side of a pair of rotary fluid pump-motor units 83 and 84 whose shafts are mechanically connected to each other at 85. A line 86 connects the other side of motor 83 to the bottom end of one cylinder 47 and line 87 connects the other side of motor 84 to the bottom end of the other cylinder 47. These motors cause the pistons in cylinders 47 to move at the same pace in both directions of piston travel by equalizing the amount of fluid passing through the motors 83 and 84, thereby preventing tilting or binding of the elevator and keeping it level. The counter-balance valve 89 is set to provide a pressure under the pistons in cylinder 47 just sufficient to sustain the weight of a full coil on the elevator, so that when pressure driving it down is removed, the elevator will remain in any intermediate position. The relief valve 79 is effective to relieve fluid pressure after the elevator engages a coil on the cones, and is set to provide a pressure sufficient to raise a full size coil without overstraining the cone shafts while the spool of that coil is still clamped by the cones.

Valves 16a and 17a have their cylinder ports connected to opposite ends of the corresponding cone traversing cylinders 16 and 17 through pilot operated check valves 88 and 89 and 90 and 91, respectively, which serve to prevent shifting of the cones in either direction until positive pressure is applied to one check valve or the other. In the line 92 leading from check valve 91 to the cone closing end of cylinder 17 an adjustable restrictor valve 93 and its by-passing check valve 94 are connected, its direction of controlled flow being indicated by the dotted arrow, and a pressure relief valve 95 is connected to line 92 tocontro-l the pressure therein. Thereby, the closing rate and clamping pressure of cone 9a are made less than that for cone 9, whose piston is connected directly to the pressure line, so that cone 9 is enabled to set the spool engaged thereby in fixed lateral position relative to the mill rolls before the cone 9a clamps the spool, and it also prevents spool floating after it is clamped.

The fluid pressure supply to the control valves 65a, 64a, 32a and 52a is through a sequence valve 96, which serves to maintain a higher pressure in the system operating the reciprocating motors than that serving the rotary motors.

In describing-the operation of the apparatus, reference will be made to Fig. 8 wherein an electrical system of control for both manual and automatic coil and spool exchange operation is illustrated, with across-the-line circuits numbered L-1 through L-51 and X-l and X-Z representing electrical power supply lines. Circuit lines L-3 through L-ltl show the previously mentioned limit switches LS-l through LS-S each controlling its own relay LR-1 through LR-8, which relays are provided so that the requisite number of open or closed contacts connected in various of the other circuit lines for sequentiai and interlocking control purposes will be provided. Throughout, identification of the relay contacts in the various line circuits is by the relay identifying number. Push button circuits L1 and L-2 permit manual opening and closing of the cones and circuit L-12 containing push button PB-A permits the operator to start an automatic conveyor cycle, during which all the other manual operation push buttons are de'energized by reason of relay CR-Z (L-M) being locked-in for the automatic cycle and, at its sets of contacts between 11-14 and L45, deenergizing manual control wire M and energizing automatic control Wire A. However, until push button PB-A is depressed, the operator has control by push button in line circuits L-16, L-27, L-37, L39, L44 and L-Sl to effect directional operation of the elevator, the conveyors and the transfer car.

It will be assumed that coiling of the strip is completed, whereupon the coil is to be removed from the rewind. Throughout the coiling operation, the elevator with carrier 20 thereon can be and is in any lower position that will afford clearance between the coil being formed on the reel and the carrier on the elevator, having previously been moved to this position by operation of elevator down push switch in line by the operator. In order that the coil may be received on the carrier and the cones opened, the operator depresses up push switch in line L-Sl and holds it until the carrier engages the coil. He then depresses the push switchin L4 to open the cones.

The action upon depressing the automatic cycle push button Pl3-A in line 12 to effect the automatic coil take out and empty spool delivery to the reel is as follows. Relay CR-t in this line energizes and in turn energizes relay CR-2 (L-14). This relay de-energizes line M and energizes line A, whereby CR-Z locks in through the elevator down and emergency stop push buttons on line L-15 until the end of the automatic cycle is reached, and relay CR-l in line L48 picks up and seals in through contacts LR8 in line L-19. Back at Io-12, normally closed CR2 contacts open and cause relay CR-t) to deenergize. Relay CR-i energizes the elevator down solenoid 47L (L-16) and also energizes relay (ZR-9 (L), which holds in through LR-7 and is a sequence relay only and sets up a circuit for relay (QR-8 in line L-22. Operation of the elevator down solenoid 47L causes movement of the elevator to its down position and LS-8 closes and energizes relay LR-fi. Thereby, relay CR-S is energized and locks in through contacts LR-S (ls-23). It closes contacts CR3 in line L50 thereby energizing the elevator up solenoid 47R. In consequence, the elevator rises until it levels with trackway 22. Relay CR-8 also picks up relay CR3 (11-24) which holds in through LR-4 or LR-6 depending on which conveyor 62 or 63 is aligned with conveyor 22. CR-3, therefore, prep-ares a circuit (L-31) for automatic operation of the conveyors south when the elevator reaches level position. Upon reaching this position, limit switches LS-3 and LS'7 close, thereby causing in line L-Sli energization of solenoids 64L, 52L and 321., in parallel, so that the inline conveyors 51, 22 and 62 are operated to move the carrier 20 back to the transfer car, and also causing relay CR-7 to energize through the contacts in line L-29 and-seal in through the car controlled contacts LR-S in line L-28.

When the carrier reaches its retracted positionon the car, it operates LS-6 energizing LR-6 which in line L-26 drops out-CR-3 and-stops the conveyors. LR-6 and CR (line 35) energize solenoid valve 58R to move the transfer dolly west, thereby locating the spooled coil at station A and simultaneously bringing carrier 21 with an empty spool thereon into the delivery line to the reel.

In its west position, the car operatesLS-S which energizes relay LR-S. In line L-28, contacts LR-S deenergize CR7 which in turn de-ener-gizes the solenoid 58R, and valve 53 returns to neutral position. In line L-eil, contacts LR-S energize relay CR-4 through contacts LR-4- and CR-6 and CIR-4 holds in through LR-l and CR-4 (lo-41). Relay CR-4 energizes relay CR-S, line L-47. As a result of energizing relay CR-4, its contacts in line L-43 close and the solenoids 65R, 32R and 52R are energized to cause the motors of conveyors 63 and 22 and 51 to drive the carrier 21 north. It is to be noted that the non-registering conveyor 62 is not actuated at this time becasue the car position controlled contacts LR2 in line L-45 render the drive motor for this conveyor ineffective.

Responsively to the carriers advance to the reel, it is raised to present the bare spool to the cones. This action is effected by the carrier reclosing limit'switch LS-1 which energizes relay LR1. The latter de-energizes relay CR-4, thereby stopping the conveyors, and completes the circuit at line L49 through CR-5 to energize solenoid 47R. Thereby, fluid pressure is admitted to the lifting cylinders 47 to move the elevator to its top position which levels the spool with the cones. This terminates the automatic delivery cycle.

The operator then depresses the push button in line h-Z to close the cones which centers the spool and clamps it in operating position. He then depresses the elevator down push button in line L-15. This drops out relay CR-2, returning the elevator and conveyors to manual operation, the push button being held depressed until the elevator reaches its desired lower position. Responsively to drop out of relay (ZR-2, any of the other relays held in by connection to wire A are tie-energized, so that the circuit is reconditioned for a repeated control operation.

During winding of the next strip, carrier 21, of course, remains under the reel and at any convenient time the carrier at station A has the coil removed therefrom and replaced with a bare spool. Upon completing the strip Winding operation, the reel unloading and recharging cycle is again effected in the same manner as heretofore described, except that this time carrier 21 will be retracted and brought to lateral load position B and carrier 20 advanced to deliver the empty spool to the reel.

By the apparatus herein above described, a minimum time is required to unload a coil from the rewind cones and to provide them with an empty spool for receiving the next strip. The same mechanism may be provided for use at an unwind at the entry side of the mill, the only difference being that spooled coils will be delivered to the unwind and empty spools removed therefrom.

Referring to Figs. 10 and l1 which show a modified form of elements for the transport system, it employs two carriers and a transfer car, as before, which are identified by the number of the corresponding element heretofore described increased by 100. Each of the carriers and 121 is or conventional construction comprising a frame with wheels movable along track rails 122 supported on suitable ledges in a longitudinal pit 124 and carrying a vertically movable lift frame 150, having a V-trough 141 at its upper end which is disposed above floor level. When a carrier is in position under the reel, the lift frame 15% overlies a fixed elevating cylinder 147 by means of which it may be raised and lowered, as is required in operation.

Each of the feeder carriers is receivable in its own 9 stall provided in the transfer car 139 at the head of the T for movement to lateral load positions or stations A and B.

To effect translation of the feeder cars between the reel and the transfer car, a fixed hydraulic cylinder 160 on the longitudinal center line of the mill at the rear side of the transfer car is provided. Centered on the back of each carrier is a short dovetail block 161 which is adapted to receive the head 162 on the end of piston rod 163 of the actuating cylinder 160 as either carrier is brought from its load station into position on the mill center line. By means of this or any other suitable form of connection, the feeder carrier may be pushed to its position at the elevator and later pulled back into its stall on the transfer car.

The operation of this form of apparatus is the same as heretofore described, and controlled either manually or automatically.

In view of the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A work handling apparatus of the character described comprising the combination of a carrier normally positioned under a working station having a horizontal work operating axis to receive a load therefrom, a trackway for said carrier extending horizontally from said working station, a transfer car disposed in right angle relation to the outer end of said trackway and adapted to receive two such carriers spaced apart in side-by-side relation thereon and dispose them alternately in-line with said trackway by successive movements of said car to alternate end positions, each constituting a load station, at opposite sides of said trackway, a second carrier on said transfer car in one of said end positions thereof and out or" registry with said trackway for loading and un loading during a working operation at said axis, means to retract said first carrier into position on said transfer car alongside said second carrier after the former has received a load from said axis, and means to shift said transfer car to its other end position thereby moving said first carrier out of and bringing said second preloaded carrier into registry with said trackway for advancement to said working station.

2. A work handling apparatus of the character described comprising the combination of a carrier normally positioned under a working station having a horizontal work operating axis to receive a load therefrom, a trackway for said carrier extending horizontally from said working station, a transfer car disposed in right angle relation to the outer end of said trackway and adapted to receive two such carriers spaced apart in side-by-side relation thereon and dispose them alternately in-line with said trackway by successive movements of said car to alternate end positions at opposite sides of said trackway each constituting a load station, a second carrier on said transfer car in one of said end positions thereof and out of registry with said trackway for loading and unloading during a working operation at said axis, said first carrier being moved into position on said transfer car alongside said second carrier after the former has received a load from said axis, means to shift said transfer car to its other end position thereby moving said first carrier out of and bringing said second preloaded carrier into registry with said trackway for advancement to said working station, and reversible power means for translating said carriers individually back and forth along said trackway between said working station and said transfer car, and means controlled by said transfer car for operatively associating said reversible power means with each of said carriers only when the latter is in registry with said trackway.

3. An apparatus for handling spooled coils and empty spools comprising a horizontal trackway, a reel station at one end of said trackway, a first and a second carrier, the first carrier being supported on said trackway and normally positioned at said reel station to receive a load therefrom and said second carrier being positioned at a load station disposed laterally of the other end-of said trackway for load.ng and unloading during an op eration at said reel station, means to move said first carrier and its reel furnished load over said trackway into a retracted position off said trackway and alongside said second carrier, means for effecting movement of said side-by-side carriers transversely with respect to said trackway to register said second carrier with said trackway and to dispose said first carrier at a load station to the other side of said trackway, and control means including means responsive to the retraction of said first carrier for actuating said moving means for said side-by-side carriers and further including means responsive to registry of said second carrier with said trackway for causing advancement of the second carrier and its load to said reel station.

4. Apparatus for handling spooled coils of strip material and their spools to and from a reel in line with a strip processing unit, comprising a trackway below the reel extending outwardly therefrom, a transfer car at the outer end of said trackway and movable endwise between load positions at opposite sides of said trackway, two transport carriers, means on said car for receiving said carriers in side-by-side relation thereon and disposed alternately in-line with said trackway by successive movements of said transfer car between said load positions, vertically movable cradle means on each carrier for supporting a load consisting of a spooled coil and a bare spool thereon, one at a time with its axis parallel to that of said reel, means for moving said car from one to the other of said load positions to dispose one carrier in one of said load positions for loading and unloading and the other carrier in line with said trackway, reversible power means for traveling said in-line carrier along said trackway to and from said reel, said in-line carrier being normally located beneath said reel, means for raising and lowering the cradling means on the in-line carrier with respect to said reel, to load and unload said reel, and means controlled by said transfer car for rendering said reversible power means operable and to actuate the same to move said in-line carrier from said car to said reel.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said car moving means comprises a double acting hydraulic piston and cylinder motor for moving said car through a fixed distance equal to the center-to-center spacing of said carriers thereon.

6. Apparatus for handling spooled coils of strip material and their spools to and from a reel in line with a strip processing unit, comprising, in combination, a reel, a transfer car and a trackway arranged in T-shaped formation with respect to each other with the trackway terminating under the reel, a pair of carriers, means controlled by said transfer car for translating said carriers individually over said trackway, in either direction, a vertically movable cradle means on each carrier for supporting a load consisting of a spooled coil and a bare spool thereon, one at a time with its axis parallel to that of said reel, means for raising and lowering with respect to said reel the cradle means of each carrier when it is in a position under the reel to load and unload the reel. spaced means on the car for receiving said carriers in side-by-side position thereon, with one carrier in line with said trackway for movement thereover between the car and the reel to carry its said load to and from the reel and with the other carrier out of line with said trackway for loading and unloading while the said one,

carrier remains in position under the reel to receive a load therefrom, and means including electrical control means responsive to return of said one carrier to said car for causing car movement to a position which disposes -said one carrier out of line with said trackway and said other carrier in line with said trackway and for actuating said translating means in a direction to move said other carrier and its load to said reel.

7. Apparatus for handling spooled coils of strip material and their spools to and from a reel in line with a strip processing unit, comprising, in combination, a reel having opposed and axially movable spool engaging members, a transfer car and a trackway arranged in T- shaped formation with respect to each other with the trackway terminating under the reel, a pair of carriers, top loading cradle means on each carrier for supporting a load consisting of a spooled coil and a bare spool thereon, one at a time with its axis parallel to that of said reel, elevator means under said reel for raising and lowering with respect to said reel the cradle means of each carrier when it is in a position under the reel to load and unload the reel, spaced means on the car for receiving said carriers in side-by-side position thereon, with one carrier in line with said trackway for movement thereover between the car and the reel to carry its said load to and from the reel and with the other carrier out of line with said trackway for loading and unloading while the said one carrier remains in position under the reel to receive a load therefrom, means for moving said car through a distance equal to the center-to-center spacing of said carrier receiving means thereon to dispose said other carrier in line with said trackway for transport of its load to said reel, and reversible power means cooperating with each carrier when aligned with said trackway for eiiecting traveling movements thereof between said reel and said car, said elevating means having a fixed top position which disposes a bare spool on the cradle means of a carrier substantially co-axially of said opposed spool engaging members.

8. Appartus according to claim 7, in which means controlled by the position of the car with respect to said trackway renders said reversible power means operative to effect carrier travel only when the car is in either of its said end positions.

9. Apparatus for handling spooled coils of strip material and their spools to and from a reel in line with a strip processing unit, comprising, in combination, a reel, having opposed and axially movable spool engaging members, a transfer car and a trackway arranged in T shaped formation with respect to each other with the trackway terminating under the reel, a pair of carriers, top loading cradle means on each carrier for supporting a load consisting of a spooled'coil and a bare spool thereon, one at a time with its axis parallel to that of said reel, means for raising and lowering with respect to said reel the cradle means of each carrier when it is in a position under the reel to load and unload the reel, spaced means on the car for receiving said carriers in side-by-side position thereon, with one carrier in line with said trackway for movement thereover between the car and the reel to carry its said load to and from the reel and with the other carrier out of line with said trackway for loading and unloading while the said one carrier remains in position under the reel to receive a load therefrom, means for moving said car to alternate end position at opposite sides of said trackway in each of which first one and then the other carrier is disposed in line with said trackway, and automatic cycle control means for causing the raising and lowering means, the carriers and the transfer car to operate in a predetermined sequence cycle terminating with the spool of the new load substantially in alignment with said spool engaging members.

10. A spooled coil and spool handling apparatus comprising a reel having horizontally disposed spool engag- 12 ing members axially movable for supportingly engaging the ends of the'spools for rotation, at trackwaybelow said reel and extending outwardly therefrom at right angles to the axis thereof, a transfer car at the outer end of of said trackway in transverse relation thereto, means for moving said car to alternate end positions at either side of said trackway, spaced sets of track means on said car constituting extensions of said trackway and respectively aligned therewith in the alternate end positions of said car, a pair of carriers, each having a top loading cradle means for supporting a load consisting of a spooled coil and a bare spool one at a time with its axis parallel to that of said axially movable members, elevating means for raising and lowering the cradle means of each carrier in a position under said reel to load and unload said reel, one carrier being supported on and movable along said trackway between the car and the reel to transport its said load to and from the reel whle the other carrier is disposed on said car in laterally ofiset relation to said trackway for loading and unloading, means for actuating said car moving means responsively to movement of said one carrier and its reel furnished load from the reel back to the car, whereby to move the car to its opposite end position, and means responsive to said car reaching said opposite end position for causing movement of said other carrier and its load from the car to the reel.

11. Apparatu according to claim 10, in which said trackway, said track means on the car and said elevating means each consists of a set of power driven conveyor rollers, a reversble hydraulic rotary drive motor for driving each set, and Selector means responsive to the position of said car for rendering the drive motor for the set of rollers out of line with said trackway ineifective to drive them.

12. Apparatus for handling spooled coils of strip material and their spools comprising a reel having opposed, axially movable members for rotatably holding a spool in operating position, an elevator under the reel, a set of conveyor rollers on the elevator, a carrier normally positioned on said elevator rollers and having top cradle means thereon for supporting a load consisting of a spooled coil and abare spool, individually, with its axis parallel to that of said-reel, means to raise and lower said elevator and carrier to load and unload the reel, a trackway comprised of a series of track rollers arranged to cooperate with said elevator rollers in a lower position thereof for movement of said carrier to and from the reel, a transfer car at the outer end of said trackway in transverse relation thereto, two spaced sets of track rollers on said car, level with said trackway rollers, one set aligned with said trackway for receiving said carrier and the other set out of linelaterally of said trackway, a second carrier supported on said lateral set of rollers for loading and unloading during operation of said reel, means for shifting said car transversely with respect to said trackway after movement of the first carrier onto the car for disposing said second carrier in registry with said trackway for movement of its load to said elevator and to said reel, and reversible power means to drive all of said rollers simultaneously excepting those out-of-line with said trackway.

l3. Apparatus according to claim 12, further including a carrier actuated limit switch on said elevator, and means responsive to actuation of said switch by a carrier moving into position under the reel for causing said roller driving means to stop, and to actuate said elevator raising and I lowering means in a direction to raise the elevator.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, including control means responsive to travel of the carrier from said do vator to said car for actuating said roller drive means and said car shifting means to stop said rollers and to shift said car, respectively, and control means actuated by said car in its shifted position for causing said roller drive References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hemphill Nov. 19, 1895 Lehman et a1. Feb. 9, 1909 14 Stiefel May 2, 1922 Sylvester May 3, 1932 Scott 'May 2, 1933 Cole Dec. 6, 1938 Wettengel Apr. 30, 1940 Wood Apr. 29, 1947- Wood Oct. 31, 1950 Muddiman May 25, 1954 

